Fowler still leads tour despite day of upsets
PA Hamilton Three riders well down in the over-all placings in the Healing Cycling Tomgained the glory in yesterday’s stage from Morrinsville to Hamilton.
The eventual stage winner, Greg Fraine, of Nelson, started the 86km stage 34min 20s down on the tour leader, Brian Fowler, of Christchurch. Greg Cox (Taranaki-Wanganui) started the afternoon in twentysecond place and Leigh Chapman (Taranaki-Wan-ganui) was twenty-sixth, both over an hour down.
None of the highly placed riders seemed willing to make an effort, perhaps in view of the tough day today. After 51km Chapman and Cox opened a gap on the field. They made the effort just before Te Awamutu and rode strongly through the town to take sprint honours.
The leading riders in the tour were at one stage sitting at the front of the bunch keeping an eye on each other.
Fraine caught Cox and Chapman and these three lined up for the sprint finish in Hamilton.
They rode into the finish on the wrong side of the four-lane road, with Fraine staying clear of Chapman by ss, with Cox 3s further back.
The bunch sprinted in, with Stephen Swart (Waikato) taking fourth place from Graeme Miller, of Auckland. Fowler was content with sixth place to retain his tour jersey. Today, the field, down to about 40 riders from the original 45, leaves Hamilton for a 140 km ride to Auckland, and a 30km criterium race at Mission Bay to round off the tour. Fowler has a Imin 24s lead over Graeme Miller going into the final stage, with Stephen Swart just 2s behind Miller. Stage H results: G. Fraine (Nelson) 2hr smin 55s 1, L. Chapman (Taranaki-
Wanganui) 5s 2, G. Cox (Taranaki-Wanganui) 8s 3, S. Swart (Waikato) 1:42s 4, G. Miller (Auckland) 1:43s 5, B. Fowler (Christchurch) 6, P. Leitch (Auckland) 7, M. Bosomworth (Waikato) 8, G. Stevens (Auckland) 9, P. Kelly (Waikato-Bay of Plenty) 10 (last five on 1:445). Sprint ace: G. Miller 23 points, N. Stephens (Australia) 12, E. McKenzie (N.Z. pro.), T. Miller (Waikato-Bav of Plenty) both 11, A. Gornall (England), Fowler and B. Storrie (Waikato) 10.
King of mountains: D. Barnett (Wellington) 92 points, S. Cox (Waikato-Bay of Plenty) 38, N. Stephens (Australia) 36, G. Miller 32, B. Fowler and L. Chapman 16. Over-all leaders: Fowler 25hr 43min 27s 1, G. Miller 1:24, S. Swart 1:26, J. Swart 1:39, S. Cox 2:20, N. Stephens 4:54, R. Versteegh (Australia) 8:4, D. Barnett 8:52, R. Sumich 9:24, P. Miller 16:22.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19851109.2.163
Bibliographic details
Press, 9 November 1985, Page 80
Word Count
420Fowler still leads tour despite day of upsets Press, 9 November 1985, Page 80
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.